Environmentalists support saving of Nayong Pilipino

Environmentalist groups Earth Day Network Philippines 2002 and the Heritage Conservation Society have joined hands with Nayong Pilipino in asking the government to allow the cultural landmark to remain on site.

Also joining a rally held at the sprawling grounds of Nayong Pilipino last Feb. 26 were other prominent non-government organizations and government offices, namely: League of Municipalities composed of municipal mayors nationwide, Zero-Waste Recycling Movement, Foundation for the Care of Creation, Social Development Foundation, Swords Foundation, Solid Waste Management Association of the Philippines, FCCI, Urban Poor Foundation, representatives from Antipolo City and Payatas, Catholic Education Association of the Philippines, TERD, Museo Pambata, Ayala Foundation, Homeless People’s Foundation, Recycling Movement of the Philippines and the offices of the mayor and vice mayor of the Pasay city government.

The staging of the rally stems from a proposal by the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) to reacquire portions of Nayong Pilipino for the construction of additional international cargo terminals within the park’s 46-hectare grounds.

As early as 1997, the MIAA has wanted Nayong Pilipino to relocate to another site, possibly in the reclamation areas along Roxas Blvd.

Environmentalists said the development of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA 3) complex would result in the destruction of thousands of trees and lush vegetation in Nayong Pilipino.

"This would convert the cultural and landscape park into a concrete and asphalt domain," the groups said.

The board of trustees of Nayong Pilipino, led by chairman Evelyn Kilayko and executive director Charito Planas, maintained the unanimous position that while the park, as a government agency, must comply with safety standard requirements for a 75-meter, no-obstruction clearance along runways and taxiways, "it cannot accede to further plans to demolish and dismantle Nayong Pilipino, to give rise to a network of internal access roads, taxiways for chartered flights or more cargo, which can be located elsewhere."

Nayong Pilipino insisted that such proposals would create serious dangers to urban safety health.

"The intended closure of the domestic airport as well as the NAIA 1 facilities should be able to adequately answer MIAA requirements for additional cargo space and access roads," Planas said. "There is no need to raze the Nayong Pilipino cultural park ... and relocate it elsewhere, which would signal demise of a premiere cultural landmark and major tourist attraction."

Nayong Pilipino is scheduled to close temporarily before the end of March this year since the acquisition of the 8.6 hectares adjacent to Runway 13/31 would affect some 80 percent of the cultural park proper.